It should not be too hard. Assess your transferable skills you have acquired in your previous career. Chances are very high that you are able to merge those skills over into your other career with a little help from others in your support network along the way. For example, the skills I had acquired from my IT career were mainly self-taught through alot of trial and error. That's where professional trade education from a reputable and accredited school such as a community college would benefit you. Be very wary any generic or privately funded institutions. They may be here today. however, like a flash in the pan, they'll vanish in an instant. So does all of your hard work when it comes to attaining those transcripts and industry certificates some employers will require of you when you apply for certain entry - level positions. Community colleges, on the other hand, are very solid and are focused upon the needs of the community in which they serve. They will be there for you in the long haul. If you are freelancing, be very certain you have the necessary financial backing to weather long periods of financial droughts. The feast or famine cycles often associated with self-employment or freelancing may not work out if you are starting without any solid investment capital to keep you going. You may need to work your day job until the income stream from your freelancing endeavours exceeds the income from your day job. Very hard advice to accept, indeed. But, advice that would be worth considering for the long haul of your dream job...freelance ( enter title here ). May God bless you in your efforts.